Rogue hacker takes on corrupt corporation

CYBERCRIMINAL ELLIOT EVADES authorities as he works in tandem with the infamous fsociety and Mr. Robot.

When watching a popular television show, it’s usually safe to say the main characters will succeed in the end and that the audience will know more about the situation at hand, which often takes the edge off of any cliffhangers and curveballs a show may throw.

Well, so I thought. In comes Mr. Robot, the 2015 winner of the Golden Globe Award for Best Drama Television Series. The show follows Elliot Alderson, a cybersecurity engineer with a wide set of emotional problems, who, in his spare time, works as a “vigilante hacker.”

After a major security breach at the largest firm in the world, E Corp, which Elliot’s company protects, Elliot receives a cryptic invitation from fsociety, a secret group of hackers led by the secretive Mr. Robot. The fsociety hackers look to take down major data stores owned by E Corp, which Elliot fondly and silently refers to as “Evil Corp,” to eliminate information detailing 70 percent of the world’s debt.

But that’s not even the exciting part. As the series unfolds, viewers need to stay on their toes to keep up with the readily-changing environment, characters, and plotlines. After each episode, I was left with mounting questions and the strong urge to continuously re-evaluate how secure my online presence is. Even as the season ended, the answers received just led to more questions, which left me hungry for the next season.

Be warned though, this show is not for the faint of heart. Many episodes delve into dark topics, such as drug use, violent crime, and the sometimes-intimidating world of black-hat hacking. Once you finish the first season, maybe you’ll agree with me when I say I sympathize with the character Bill Harper.

Never before have I been as shocked by a series’ curveballs as I have with those found in Mr. Robot. Sadly, the internet is crawling with spoilers, so try your best to avoid searching for the show until you’ve passed through the first season. The show can be watched online for free at http://usatoday.com/mrrobot/; use the rest of your syllabus week wisely.